Automatic safety-depth-regulating valve for submarine or submergible boats.



i; V W w No 820,372. 7 PATENTED MAY 8 1986. L. YvSPEARn'T, S. BAILEY. AUTOMATIQ SAFETY DFETH REGfiLATING VALVE FOR SUBMARINB ORSUBMEEGJBLB BOATS. APPLIGATIOH YILED mm as, 1905.

2 SHBBTSSHBBT L gmw w m w m FATEKTE MAY 8, 1906 L. Y. swam; T. s. BAILEY. 7 AUTOMATIC SAFETY naPTggg ULATING VALVE; FOR SEBMARINB 0R SEi'fiERGIBLB BOATS.

1B?LI6ATIOH FILED 38KB 36, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET E.

fiw nizmn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE Y. SPEAR AND THEODGRUS S. BAILEY, OF QUINCY, MASSA- CHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO ELECTRIC BOAT COMPANY, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY-DEPTH-REGULATING VALVE FOR SUBldAlllNl-I 0R SUBMERGIBLE BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Application filed June 86, 1905. Serial Ho 267.018.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LAWRENCE Y; SPEAR and Trrnononus S. BAILEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Quincy, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvemerits in Automatic Safety-Depth-Regulating Valves for Submarine or Submer ible Boats; and we do hereby declare the fofiowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to submarine or submergible boats, and more particularly to a submergence-regulator or automatic safetydepth-regulating valve therefor, by means of which the boat may be prevented i'rom descending be 0nd a certain predetermined depth, at which the regulator operates to admit air under pressure into certain wster ballast or submergence tanks, displaci the water therein contained, and thereby ightenin the boat to the extent of the water ex e led.

n the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation o a submergence-regiilater. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sec-- tion through a submarine or submergibie boat having the invention applied thereto.v

Referrin to the drawings, it indicates the casing or ousing of the depth-regulating valve or submergence-regulator, which is provided with caps a, a, between which and the main portion ofthe casing are located the diaphragms c and 7:, respectively, so that that portion of the casing included between the dlaphraims constitutes a pressure-chambeii,l of whi the diephragms form movable we s.

Connected to the diaphra c is a valve 9,

cooperating with a seat in t e top of the cap a and'serving to estab ish or out off connec tion between a pipeh, connected to a source of fluid under pressure, ands pipe '5, leading to a water'- ballast or submergeuce tank.

. The pipe h is connected to a removable cap a, mounted upon the cap a, which cap a constitutes the inlet side of the valve 9', and the pipe 11 opens into the chamber d, formed within the cap a above the diaphragm, so

that whensai valve g is opened fluid under pressure enters by way of pipe h, inlet-chant or e, chamber d, and escapes byway of pi pc i. The main chamber b of the casing is provided with an outlet 12, adapted to connect said chamber with the atmosphere, which outlet is normally closed by a reciprocating valve m, which opens outwardly and is controlled by the movement of the diaphragm k, to which said valve is connected b esuitahle stem 1, guided in the s ider or hri geless 0. Connected to the sham erbis a pipe 1' aving therein a cut-off valve 1'', which pipe leads to a suitable source of fluid-pressure, and a pressurega'ge s is likewise attached to said chamher in order that the pressure admitted to said chainber may be accurately determined.

The diaphra m it forms with the cap a a chamber 3 in t e end of the. casing which is ada ted to be thrown into communication wit the water of submergence, so as to submit the diaphragm it to the hydrostatic pres sure of the water outside of the boat. For this purpose a pipe connects chamber 9' with the exterior of tile boat, which pi e is provided with a cut-off valve 19 to'exc ude the exterior hydrostatic pressure when desired. The chamber j is likewise provided with a pressure-gage t, by means of which the pressure in chamber 3' may be accurately determined, and in order to provide means for practically testing the operation of the reguator without admitting water thereto from outside the boat a source of fluid under pressure inside the host may be connected to chamber to operate upon die hragm is through pipe connection q, provi ed with a cut-o valve g.

Fi 2 shows diagrammatically the apparatus a ove described installed in a submarine boat A of the ordinary type, said'boat being provided with a Water-ballast or submer- Fence tank B, which is connected to the reguator by the ipe '5. A compressed-air tank C is connect 7 to the regulator by pipe it, and an air-pump P serves to store air under pressure in the tank 0 and is also adaptedto be pnt'intc communication with the pressurechamber 12 or the chamber 7' by means of the valved pipes hereinbefore described, so that an desired degree of pressure may be establis ed in chambers b and 7' either direetl from the pump P or from the storagetank Lil The nppfirutus its :ibov' rivsrrilir-d open lllS sohstnntiully us l'olirms: Air under pressure is udmittr-wl to luimiier i hy wary of the pipe '1', either directly from the pump 1 or from the storage-Mink until any desir d degree ol )ressure is established in said rhnnrher, as indicated by the gage This air llll-- der pressure within the 0llilllll (ll 11 acts against diaphragm r3, forcing it upward and seating; the valve g, so in; to cut oil' ron|nn|nication between pipe fr, lending to the coin-- pressedmir tank, and the pipe i, connected to the wuter-lmllnst or suhmergdnce tank. This :iinpressure also forces the diaphragm fr outward, thereby drawing the valve in. lirlnl r against its seat so that thruir c-m'mot esco Pt from the chmnher Ii, but is retnincd therein with little or no diminution of pressure. Should any leakage occur, the pressure may he maintained by partly opening the valve r and admitting more on to the chamber 1). When the heat rout-hes .t depth at which the pressure of the \VkLlOl on the outside of diephrngm It exceeds that of the air confined withln chamber 1), said diaphragm 7c is forced inward, thereby opening the valve we and allowing the air in chamber 1) to escape The diaphragm 0 being thus relieved from pressure on its under side no longer holds the valve 9 to its seat f, and air-pressure from storage-mink C, by way of pipe h, forces the valve g 01? its sent, thereby establishing direct communication between said pressure tank C and the water-ballast tank B, so that the compressed air flowing into said tank B displaces the water therein by blowing or forcing it ont'through a valve in the bottom of the tank in the ordinary manner, which permits the boat to rise. As air under pres sure is always acting against the valve g, and as any considerable pressure on the diaphragm 0 would tend to force it down and open the valve 9, a small vent-hole d is drilled in the on c to allow any leakage of air past the Verve g to BSClt G. As above stated, )ipe q is connected to t io compressedair ten or to the air-pump it will, and its purpose is to permit the delpth re ulating apparatus to he tested, as fol ows: gee-valve p is closed, and air "under pressirre is admitted through. valve g and en ters the chamber j hehind the diaphragm k, the gage t registering the pressure in said clmmber. When :1 pres sure in said chamber is established sufficient to overhalance the pressure in chmnlmr I) on the other side of the diuphrng m, the diaphragm lc is forced inward and vulve m is opened, which relieves the press'u re in chum ber 11 and permits diaphragm c to hill and valve 9 to open and opens up eommunirution between the air-storage tank (3 and the WtLtUF- ballast tank'B, r By this means the pressure in chamber 11 necessary to counterbalance :1 given hydrostatic ressnre on the see side of diaphregnrlc may e accurately determined and l, :tllil owror lhr m1. uhlishi-d in whiuuboi to prevent the bowl Hilllk;

inn; beyond any desired degree of summer gem-n.

Having thus doserihod our involution, o'ioit we claim, Illlll desire to secure by Letter; lut ml, is- M Mil)!H'l'titliflii-I=;1llthl)il mflilnimrlilv hunts, comprising it moving, it ressnitjwlnzuo nor therein hiiving umvablr walls, one ol whir'h is subject to ")rossnre from the n rite!" of suhniergence, it re connected to said lat tor well and controllil'ig coiiiniuniontion he'- tmr n suiil luimbvr' uind the it'lllll liklitl e vnlw rontroliing "m nionsimiion no we n n mjlili' oi' ,liuidpres-uni and a wstcnhzilisst look and (1-[J- ,I2li,lf('l (winner; I to movable wall, wherthy opening; of the l; named valve will cause the latter valve open.

1%. A suhii1erggenrc-regulntorfor V hunts, comprising i: fusing, it will rontrolling iroinnnniiczttion ljwtweer of fluid-pressure and a water-heal diaphragm supporting said \"nl controlling communication between a pres snre-ehaimber in said casing and the: atmosphere, and a disphrsgrn-oontrolling the on merit of said Volvo and open to pressure from the water of su nnergence, the space between said diaphragms forming the pressure-charm her aforesaid connected to a source of regulable fluid-pressure.

3. A snbmergencereguletorfor submarine boats, comprising a, casing, two diaphrogms in said casing forming a Pl(1SSilli3-(-llillfllfJGl therein connected to a source of fluidpressure to hold said diaphragms distended, a valve connected to one diaphragm controllinv' communication between a source of fluid-pressure and a wnterdaallast tank, a valve connected to the other diaphragm controlling communication between the pressure-chamber and the atmosphere. said latter dim phragm having connection with the water of submergence on the side opposite its valve, and means for regulating the pressure in said chamber.

4 A submergence-regulntor for submarine I beets, comprising a casing, two ilisiphrngms in said casing forming a pressnr'emlmlnher therein connected to a source of fluid-pressure to hold said diaphragms distended, a valve connected to one diaphragm contn'illin coon nmnicntion l'ietweon a source of lluid pres sure and a watenhsllast tank, I1, valve connected to the other diaphragm eoi'itrolling communication between the pressure-chitin her and the atmosphere, suid hitter dist-- phrztgm having; connection with the water of suhniergenre on the side opposite its val e, means fOPGXCltMPWgI the water of snhmen gonce from said diaphragm, moans for admit ting fluid-pressure to said diiipl'irngni in lion 1 

